1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to objects such as hockey pucks and the like for use in games on hard surfaces, such as roadways and sidewalks, to methods for making the same, and to games played therewith.
2. The State of the Art
A typical hockey puck used on ice has the geometry of a circular disk, about one inch thick and about three inches in diameter, and is made of a hard rubber. When used on ice, the puck has tendency to slide on one of the disk faces, even when the puck starts out rolling on the edge of the disk.
Hockey is also played on hard, non-ice surfaces, such as streets and roadways. When a conventional hockey puck is used on such a hard surface, the friction of the surface (greater than that of ice) tends to allow a rolling puck to roll. Further, the friction of such hard surfaces is typically so great that a puck will not slide very far on one of the disk faces, generally not sufficiently far to be used in a hockey game, and never as far as would be expected playing on ice. Additionally, a conventional hockey puck has a tendency to bounce when used on such hard surfaces.
Conventional hockey balls (plastic spherical pucks) are too light in weight and too soft to provide the desired feel and action akin to ice hockey. In addition, such spherical pucks do not roll well if it becomes very warm (because of the increase in adhesion and/or tackiness of the plastic material).
Accordingly, there is a need for a puck or simulated puck that can be used on hard surfaces such as roadways and sidewalks and that will have the feel and action similar to that of a conventional hockey puck used on ice.